Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-03
claimed a Dictatorship and convened
Congress to meet October 1st to amend the
Constitution conformably with progressive
do NJ pa;, cave.

claimed Dictatorship and convened
Congress to meet October 1st to amend the
Constitution conformably with progressive
ideas Mr. Baiz says.
4 cry of general appreciation throughout the
Republic was the result OF the change of minis
try, thus proving that IN Guatemala the adj
vanced ideas are in the majority. The new
cabinet has commenced its task by imparting
life to the public credit. with intent TO pay
honestly, and to settle in an honorable manner
some claims against the treasury which are still
pending for concessions and contracts, and
which it was the intention of the Liberal Moder-
ates to ignore altogether as one of the most
effective means of economizing payments
The opponents of the General have APP
pealed TO Mexico to interfere, and take
part in regulating the internal affairs of
the country. The Mexican Minister re-
sponded by suspending official relations
with the Barillas Government, but Cen
eral Diaz telegraphed to General Barillas
that "Mexico will respect the form of
government that the people of Guatemala
may adopt" The legations Of Germany,
France, Italy, Spain and the United States
did not follow the course of the Mexican
Minister, but remained quiescent and as
Consul Biaz puts it:
In the same good harmony, as is customary in
such cases when strong and powerful reasons 60
not exist to justify contrary proceeding. Mean
WHILE the new dcta orship has not decreed any
Punishment or imprisonment, as those deereed
BIZ advice of the Cabi0ets Ramirez in 1885, and
Cruz in 1886; and leaving the judicial power in
the full enjoyment of its Independence, it uses
discretional power only to expedite the progress
OF the administration, protecting private prop
erty, encouraging enterprise re-establishing
schools suppressed by conservatism, creating
new ceDters OF instruction, and appropriating
the public treasury duly and justly. With the
convention o. October LIST the present abom-
able state of the Republic shall cease. Consid-
ering it to be a matter of grave Importance for
the future of Guatemala to promote the devel-
opment OF its commercial intercourse with the
North American people General Barillss has re-
established the legation at Washington, with in
structions to work in that direction and every
thing leads to expect that progress snail be
again in that country the only 1nsplrator OF the
acts of the Government under the influence of
the party who achieved the great revolution of
1871.
So much having been given Mr.. Baiz in
defense of Barrillas it remains to be noted
that while it may be hoped the Consuls
expectations will be realized, the criticism
cannot be avoided that Barrillas has shown
himself to be possessed of vacillating and
a dangerous spirit. 1t is admitted that he
had not far-sightedness enough to see that
the claim Of the retrogrades' that party
lines had been obliterated was wholly I'M
founded it is admitted that with his eyes
open he fell into the trap the priests set
for him; that he never discovered the
course of the current of his action until the
plotters began to strip him of authority
and to manacle free speech and put irons
upon the limbs of liberty. When the State
was at the mercy of the clericals, he ap-
pears for the first time to have seen what
everyone else had long realized. Not till
er, but along with them sent the Constitu-
ton to grass, while he developed as
dictator" with the laws under his heel
It is the Government of General Barrillas
now, not of the people. If, in October,
when the Constitution Is righted and set
up once more, General Barrillas accepts it,
all may be we'll. But Judging by the ease
with which he was once hoodwinked, and
the spasmodic suddenness with which he
turned and established one-man power,
what guarantee can be given that he may
not prove thorn in the side of real re-
publican institutions, an upsetter of the
new Government if perchance it does not
please him?